Adjustable concrete column form



Sept. 14, 1954 .1. w. ARCHER ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE COLUMN FORM 6 R w 1 4 me m L 4! D m m 4 f 6 m a. 2 WM A mm i 4 A J: w Ill m. m M 0 4 4 iig'gi.

Filed Aug. 20, 1949.

p 4, 1954 J. w. ARCHER 2,688,788

ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE COLUMN FORM Filed Aug. 20, l949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 14, 1954 W ARCHER 2,688,788

ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE COLUMN FORM Filed Aug. 20, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 22 AJ l 2c Zniventor JOHN W H CHER (mo meg Sept. 14, 1954 J w ARCHER 2,688,788

ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE COLUMN FORM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. '20, 1949 Zhwentor JOHN W ARCHER (Ittorneg Patented Sept. 14, 1954 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,688,788

ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE COLUMN FORM John W. Archer, San Bernardino, Calif.

Application August 20, 1949, Serial No. 111,431

11 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to a form to be used in the construction of concrete walls with or without reinforcing rods. The device consists of end panels, a back panel, and a front panel of the required length and depth, the front panel and the rear panel being adiustable toward or away from each other by mechanism which causes the front panel to retain its parallelism to the rear Panel, and the correct angular relationship to the side panels. Means are provided for positively looking all of the panels against movement in relationship to each other, thus providing a four-wall structure adjustableto form a concrete wall of the desired thickness and height.

The front panel is provided with a central section which may be removed without affecting the remainder of the device, the purpose of which is to allow the form to be removed in a horizontalplane past the vertically wired reinforcing rods. The side panels may also be demountably mounted in the form.

All of the abovewi'll be described in detail in the following specification taken together with the drawings, in which Fig. l'is a front view of the form in pouring position to receive a batch of concrete with the wired reinforcing rods in position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view 'to Fig. 1 with the form raised into position for a second batch of concrete;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the device;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figs.i3 and 10;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. -6 illustrates a portion looking in the direction-of the arrows *6--6 of Fig. 3, of the front plate and one of the side plates and their assem-bl-ingparts;

Fig. *7 is an isometric view of one of the assembl'ing latches",

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the hookty-pe latch used in attaching the end plates;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig.6:

Fig. 19 is aplan view in section of the device taken on the line 4 .I0-0f Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig. 1 1 is a partial view in section taken on the line I i-H of Fig. 1f), omitting plate 2 and breaking away bracket for clearer showing;

'Fig. 12 is a partial view of one end of the end plates;

Fig. '13 is a planin section similar to Fig. of the device showing the method used to .extend .the length of the mold;

Fig. ld is an isometric view of the lower end of one of the vertical brackets;

Fig. is a fragmentary detail showing, on line l-5--l5 of Fig. 13; the opening provided for the removal of *the hook bar; and

Fig. 1-6 is an isometric view-of the removable hook engagement ba-r shown in Fig. 13.

The device as illustrated in the drawings comprises the front plate I, the rear plate 2, and the side plates 3 and 4. The plates I and 2 have provided at their upper end a horizontal flange ledge la and 2a, respectively, and an upstanding wall or flange lb and 2b, respectively. The rear plate 2 is attached to vertical brackets 5 and 6. The bracket 5 is provided with lugs g and I6, and the bracket 6 is provided with lugs 10 and H. The bracket 1 is provided with similar lugs I land 18; and the bracket 8 with lugs I2 and I9. Holes 13 are provided in lugs 9 to It, inclusive. The side plates 3 and 4, which are mirror images of each other, are secured in place by the removable bars 14 and i4 having hooks i5 and I5, respectively, through slots 58 and 58 in plates 3 and 4 which are entered into the holes It in the lugs 9, t0, H, and I2 or the brackets 5, '6, l, and 8, respectively. The reinforcing frame 2 of the plate 2 is provided with extensions 20 and 20' provided with downwardly pointing pins 21 and '21. These pins 2| and 2| may be threaded on their lower ends to receive nuts 22 '(see Figs. 11 and 4). Pins 2| and 21' are entered into the holes 23 in lugs 16 and I7 and with the nuts 22 in place the plate 2 becomes a unit with the brackets 5 and 6.

The bracket 1 has the lugs 18 and the bracket '8 has the lugs l9 and the removable front plate I with its attached reinforcing frame I is provided with the lugs .26 .and 28' having downwardly pointing pins .24 at one end similar to lugs 26 and pins 2!. The pins 24 are entered in holes 25 in the lugs 18 of the bracket 7.

The other end of the reinforcing frame I of plate I is provided with spaced lugs 26 containing the hole 2! into which is entered the pin 28. A vertical latch 29 -.(-see Figs. 6 and 7) is attached to and slidable on the reinforcing frame 1- of plate I to which it is secured by screw 30 entered through the slot f3l The sliding latch '29 is also provided with the 1ug::32 through which passes the bolt 33 which enters the lug 34 which is integral with the bracket 8 (see Figs. 6 and 9'), thus preventing the latch 29 from being raised until the bolt 33 is withdrawn "by swinging the lever 35 which is connectedtothe 'bolt'33 "by link 36.

Bracket 1 is also provided with a lug 34 .and the reinforcing frame I is provided with the lug 32 through which passes the bolt 33 which is operatedin thesame manner .as the bolt on the other side. The plate ;I is thus locked against dislodgement.

To the brackets 6 and B, which are in .the form of an L, the short end 6' and 8' is adjustably mounted on the angle 31 by means of holes in the angle 31 and suitable bolts. On the top of the angle 31 is angle 38 which is adjusta-bly mounted on the bracket 8. At the opposite side is the lower angle 39 (see Figs. 1, 3) which is adjustably attached at the upper end of the bracket 5 and the upper angle 40 which is adjustably attached at the upper end of bracket I. The adjustment of the position of the front I with respect to 2 is made by sliding the angle 38, which is slidably mounted on the angle 31, and by sliding the angle 46 on angle 39 (see Fig. 3).

The mechanism for obtaining the sliding adjust.-

ment on each pair of angles is the same (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5) The angles 38 and 40 are provided with the slots M and 4| and the angles 3'! and 33 are provided with slots 42 and 42, the spaced shoulder studs 43 serving to maintain the angles in alignment.

The bottom angles 31 and 39 have attached to them the fulcrum pins 44 and 44' on which is hingedly mounted the U-shaped actuating handle lever 45. The angles 38 and 46 have attached to them the fulcrum pins 46 and 46 on which are hingedly mounted the adjustable links 41 and 41'. The other ends of the links 41 and 4'! are hingedly attached to the lever 45 by the screws 48a. Thus, when the lever 45 is caused to pivot about the fulcrum pins 44 and 44 attached to the angles 31 and 39, it will actuate the links 41 and 41 attached to pins 46 and 46' on angles 33 and 40 and will thus cause the front plate I and the rear plate 2 with their attached brackets to approach each other or spread further apart. When the desired setting is reached the angles can be locked in this position by the wing screws 46a and 48b in the bracket 49 on angles 31 and 39. The wing screws 48a and 4% when screwed down until they bind the angles 31 and 38 to the angles 39 and 49 will lock the front plate I and the back plate 2 in their predetermined positions.

If it is desired to vary the degree of separation of the plates I and 2 beyond the limitation as shown in the drawings the brackets 5 and I and 6 and 8 may be shifted further apart on the angles by removing the bolts 59 and 55 and rebolting the brackets 5 and I and 6 and 8 in a greater spaced relationship to each other, readjusting the links 4! by means of the equally spaced holes 41a, 4Tb in links 4'1 and 41 and bolts 41?) to the required length (see Figs. 4 and 5).

Slidably mounted on one end of the plate I is the latch member 29 (see Figs. 4, 6, and 7). The latch bar 29 carries two pins 28 and slot 3I and boss 32 carrying bore 32a. The pins 28 enter bores in the lugs I9 and I9 of the bracket 8 and the lugs 26' of the reinforcing frame I. The stud 38 passes through the slot 3|. .Also mounted on the face of I are similar but mirror image looking bolts 33 actuated by toggle links 36 and 36 and handles 35 and 35' (see Figs. 1 and 13) The bolts 33 and 33 are removed from the bolt holes 3211 by lifting lever 35 whichcauses the fulcrumed toggle to withdraw the latch pins 33 and 33' from the bore 32a. The latch bar 29 may then be lifted to remove the'pins 28 from their receiving holes.

The end plates 3 and 4 and extra duplicates of these plates (for purposes indicated below) are provided with lugs 5| and 5I and hook type projections 52 and 52 and when it is found desirable to extend the length of the form either the end plate 3 or 4 is removed by detaching the hook bars I4 or I4.

The operation with side 3 will be clear from the following:

Plate 4 can now be removed. The plate 4 can be used to extend the front panel length by inserting the hooks 52 in the holes I3 in the lugs I2 of the bracket 8. The extension of the back wall 2 is accomplished by utilizing a duplicate of plate 3 (marked 3", Fig. 13) and inserting the hooks 52" of plate 3" in the holes I3 in the lugs II! of the bracket 6.

To close the end of the now elongated form a duplicate plate of plate 4 is used, marked 4" on Fig. 13. To plate 3" and plate 4 at the outer end is bolted the bracket 53 which is provided with the top and bottom lugs 54 in which are the holes 55 into which the hooks I5 on the bar I4 are inserted through slots 58 and 58' (see Figs. 8, 4, 12, 13 and 16) The plates 3, 3", 4 and 4 are provided with reinforcing frames and the keyhole openings 56 (see Figs. 4, 12, and 13) into which the tie rod 51 may be inserted. These plates are also provided with the slots 58, the hole 3a, and slot 3b through which pass the hooks I5 of bar I4.

The entire unit may be disassembled by removing the side 4 as described above, and then by removing the side 3 by similarly withdrawing the latch 33' and the hook bars I4 as described for the side 4. The removal of the front, rear, and side panels leaves the adjustable box form frame composed of the vertical brackets and their adjustable locking mechanism. This may be disassembled as follows. The cotter pins on the pivots 44, 44, 46 and 46 may be removed and the U bar handle removed. The manner of assembly of the device will be clear from the above. The adjustable link may be removed in the same manner.

As illustrated in the drawings the form is constructed of a plurality of plates arranged to provide a box-like structure open at the top and bottom into which concrete is tamped to form a wall of the desired thickness and height and into this wall is usually embedded vertical steel, reinforcing rods for additional strength.

Although the form may be entirely disassembled for shipment, the usual procedure is to deliver it to the location of the job with the front and back plates with their brackets, angles, looking mechanism, etc. assembled as a unit, with the front and back plates adjusted to their desired distance apart and with the plate extensions in place as desired, in the manner described above. If the concrete reinforcing rods 59 have been set in place and wired, as shown at 59a, Fig. 1, the front detachable plate I is easily removable by retracting the bolts 33 and 33' and by raising the latch 29 so that the front plate can then be lifted out of the way and the unit passed over the rods into position horizontally and past the reinforcing rods. The front plate is now replaced in position and locked in place. If the end plates are not in position the form may be completed by positioning the end plates 3 and 4 and the removable hook bars I4 and I4 in place, and attaching the front plate I and the rear plate 2 by inserting the hooks I5 into the holes I3 in the brackets at the ends of the front and back plates. The assembled form is now located in the correct position and relationship to the upstanding reinforcing rods which are now enclosed by the four plates of the form which may now be filled and tamped with the required amount of concrete.

The horizontal movement of the mold to pass it over the reinforcing rods is made possible by the fact that the cross section of the mold between the panels I, 2, 3 and 4 is unobstructed, the panels 2, 3, and 4 forming smooth faces and the panel I cooperating with brackets 1 and 8 forming the fourth smooth face. The connections between the panels are thus positioned on the exterior of the panels I, 2, 3, and 4 with the toggles positioned adjacent the walls 3 and 4 (see Figs. 1-3) and above the top of the mold where they will not interfere with any reinforcing rods. The panels are interlocked to form a rigid box structure.

To continue the wall to the required height, the form is lifted, a wire mesh is placed on top of the cement wall portion and the form placed on the lower section and another batch of concrete in poured. This process is continued until the desired height of the wall or column has been reached. If difficulty is found in stripping the form. then the mold may be disassembled by removing the front or side panel or both, in the manner described above, and the mold may be easily stripped from the concrete.

If it is found desirable to extend the length of the mold this is accomplished by removing either end plate and attaching it and duplicate end plates to form a continuation of the front plate I and the rear plate 2 in the manner described above. To provide lugs for the attachment of a closure plate to the ends of the extension plates the lug bracket 53 is bolted to the frame of the extension plates at their outer ends and the end plate is located in position by inserting the hooks [5 of the hook bars l4 into the holes 55 in the lug bracket 53 and locking the bars [4 by means of set screws Ma. If the wall section is to abut a window or other wall section, then either the plate 3 or 4 may be removed and the rod 51 bolted in place, as illustrated in Fig. 13, or similarly positioned in l and 2 if the unextended unit is employed to assure parallelism of I and 2.

It is obvious from the drawings and the description that this extension to the form may be applied to either and/or if desired to both ends according to the requirements of the operator.

While I have described a particular embodiment of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that various modifications and adaptations thereof may be made within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A form for concrete structures, comprising a front panel member, a rear panel member, and panel members to provide end closures for said form, said end closure panel members being interchangeable as end closures and as additional front and rear panels to provide a form having a greater length than that provided by the first mentioned front and back panel members, and means adapted to cooperate with means on said front and rear panel members for mounting said end closures on said front and rear panel members to extend the same, and means for mounting said end panel members on said extended front and back panel members.

2. A form for concrete structures, comprising a front panel member, a rear panel member, and panel members to provide end closures for said form, said end closure panel members being interchangeable as end closures and as additional front and rear panels to provide a form having a. greater length than that provided by the first mentioned front and back panel members, means adapted to cooperate with means on said front and rear panel members for mounting said end closures on said front and rear panel members to extend the same, said end panel members being adapted to cooperate with means for mounting said end panel members on said extended front and back panel members, and means to lock all of the front, back, extension, and end panels in correct relationship to each other and into a rigid mold.

3. A box form for concrete structures comprising two opposed side panel members and opposed front and rear panel members, an adjustable box form frame comprising corner members mounted on the corners of said box form, means for rigidly and removably securing the corner members to the rear panel, means for rigidly and removably securing the front panel member to the corner members, longitudinal slots in said side panel members extending from the front to back of said side panel members, means for slidably positioning the corner members upon which the front panel member is positioned in said slots, means independent of said panel members for simultaneously moving said last-named corner members in said slots, and means for securing said last-named corner members in said slots at a selected position from the rear panel members, said panel members being mounted on said corner membersto form said box form.

4. A box form for concrete structures comprising two opposed side panel members and opposed front and rear panel members, corner members mounted on the corners of said box form, means for rigidly and removably securing the corner members to the rear panel, means for rigidly and removably securing the front panel member to the corner members, longitudinal slots in said side panel members extending from the front to back of said side panel members, means for slidably positioning the corner members upon which the front panel member is positioned in said slots, means for moving said last-named corner members in said slots, means for securing said last-named corner members in said slots at a selected position from the rear panel member. and means operative when said front and rear panel members are secured on said corner members for removing said side panel members from said corner members.

5. A hollow box form comprising a frame, said frame comprising four vertical brackets, two mounted on the front of said frame and two mounted on the rear of said frame adjacent the corners of said box and, horizontal members mounted upon said brackets interconnecting said brackets into an adjustable but rigid structure, means on said frame for adjusting the spatial separation of the brackets on the same side of said box from the brackets on the opposite sides of said box, means on said frame for locking said brackets in adjusted position, and said form also including front, rear, and side panel members, each removably mounted on said brackets, and longitudinally extending slots in each of said side panel members, said vertical bracket members being slidably positioned in said slots for said adjustment of the spatial relation of said brackets.

6. A box form for concrete structures comprising: a pair of panel supporting members, each panel supporting member comprising a pair of vertical brackets having smooth opposed inner faces, cross members extending between adjacent brackets and mounted near the top of said brackets, means associated with said cross members for positioning said vertical brackets adjacent the front and rear corners of the said box form, means for removably mounting a, front panel member on the front corner brackets to form a smooth continuous front wall of said box form, means for removably mounting a rear panel member on the rear corner brackets of said box form to form a continuous smooth rear wall of said box form, means for mounting side panel members on the corner brackets, on each side of said box form to form continuous smooth side walls for said .box form, longitudinal slots in each of said side panel members, one of said brackets adjacentea-ch of said side panel members being adjustably positioned in said slots.

7. A form for concrete structures formed of front, rear, and side panel members, said form comprising a pair of panel supporting members, one for the rear panel and one for the front panel, each panel supporting member of said pair comprising a pair of vertical brackets having smooth interior faces, a pair of adjustable cross members mounted near the top of said brackets, holding said brackets of each supporting member in spaced relationship, and said cross members holding said supporting members in opposed relationship in box formation with the brackets adjacent the corners of said box form, a pair of adjustable links connecting the cross members of each pair of cross members, means for locking said adjustable links in position, means for removably mounting the front panel member on each of the brackets of the front panel supporting member, means for latching said front panel member on said brackets to form a smooth interior continuous front face of said form, means for removably mounting the rear panel member on the rear corner brackets to form a smooth continuous rear wall of said box form, means for securing said rear panel member on said rear corner brackets, means for removably mounting said side panel members on each of said side corner brackets adjacent each of said side panels to form a smooth continuous side wall of said form, means for securing said side panel members on said corner brackets, means also for removably positioning said side panel members on the corner brackets, adjacent said rear panel member and in line with and in extension of said rear panel member to form a smooth, inner wall extension of said rear wall in said box form, means for securing said last-named side panel member in said extended position, means for removably positioning a side panel member on said corner brackets adjacent said front panel members, in extension of said front panel member, to form a smooth wall extension of said front inner wall of said box form, and means for securing said last-named side panel member in said extended position.

8. A mold form comprising a front, a rear, and end vertical sides, means for removably securing end sides transversely to said front and rear sides to provide for adjustable spacing between said front and rear sides, said end sides having means adapted to cooperate with means on said front and rear sides for removably securing them to said front and rear sides as front and rear side extensions, and said end sides being adapted to cooperate with means for removably securing said end sides to said extensions transversely to the front and rear sides when said front and rear sides are extended, and provide for the aforementioned adjustable spacing between said front and rear sides.

9. A mold form comprising front, rear, and end vertical panel means, means for removably securing end panel means transversely to said front and rear panel means to provide .for adjustable spacing between said front and rear panel means, and said end panel means having means adapted to cooperate with means on said front and rear panel means for removably securing the same to said front panel means as a front panel extension and to said rear panel means as a rear panel extension, whereby with the use of additional end panel means in cooperation with said extensions when said front and rear panel means are extended an extended mold may be provided.

10. A hollow box form comprising a frame, said frame comprising four vertical brackets, two mounted on the front of said frame and two mounted on the rear of said frame adjacent the corners of said box, and horizontal members mounted upon said brackets interconnecting said brackets into an adjustable but rigid structure, means on said frame for adjusting the spatial separation of the brackets on the same side of said box from the brackets on the opposit side of said box, means on said frame for locking said brackets in adjusted position, and said form also including front, rear, and side panel members, each removably mounted on said brackets, said side panel means having means extending longitudinally thereof and cooperating with said vertical bracket members to permit relative movement therebetween for said adjustment of the spatial relation of said brackets.

11. A box form for concrete structures comprising: a pair of panel supporting members, each panel supporting member comprising a pair of vertical brackets having smooth opposed inner faces, cross members extending between adjacent brackets and mounted near the top of said brackets, means associated with said cross members for positioning said vertical brackets adjacent the front and rear corners of the said box form, means for removably mounting a front panel member on the front corner brackets to form a smooth continuous front wall of said box form, means for removably mounting a rear panel member on the rear corner brackets of said box form to form a continuous smooth rear wall of said box form, and means for mounting side panel members on the corner brackets on each side of said box form to form continuous smooth side walls for said box form, said side panel members having means extending longitudinally thereof and cooperating with said corner brackets to permit one of said brackets adjacent each of said side panel members to be adjustably positioned along said side panel members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 788,481 Lightner Apr. 25, 1905 807,062 Coltrin Dec. 12, 1905 957,414 Fisher May 10, 1910 1,008,395 Ubbink Nov. 14, 1911 1,173,166 Britton Feb. 29, 1916 1,208,283 Britton M Dec. 12, 1916 1,215,436 Guilder Feb. 13, 1917 1,573,502 Peters Feb. 16, 1926 1,951,949 Provance Mar. 20, 1934 2,008,162 Waddell July 16, 1935 2,098,929 Barnes Nov. 9, 1937 2,582,168 Sato Jan, 8, 1952 

